This invention relates to the field of data security. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for protecting information and accurately reporting this information within an electronic system.
Personal computers (PCs) typically include different types of storage components to store programs and data. These storage components include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and memory devices that are located external to the PC (e.g., hard disk or a floppy disk). To load an operating system on a PC, it is necessary to initialize or xe2x80x9cbootxe2x80x9d the PC by loading and executing boot code. Because the PC typically is unable to access external devices until after it is booted, the boot code is stored internally within the PC.
Typically, a ROM component is used to store the boot code. This boot code, normally referred to as xe2x80x9cboot block,xe2x80x9d is obtained from the ROM and executed. The boot block is coded to (i) locate Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), (ii) load the BIOS for execution, and (iii) pass control to the BIOS. In addition, current platform developments may now require the boot block to report each step of the boot process to a hardware device referred to as a xe2x80x9ctrusted platform modulexe2x80x9d (TPM). Defined by the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance, the TPM records the operations of the boot process for subsequent verification by a challenger that the boot process occurred as expected. This poses a number of disadvantages.
For example, the boot block would now need to reliably report the steps of the boot process to the TPM. Thus, to ensure reliable transfer of this data, the boot block would likely require data processing functionality in order to perform cryptographic operations on the data before submission to the TPM.
Additionally, this communication protocol between the boot block and the TPM would be trustworthy only if the boot block is unchangeable. However, this protocol is unable to detect modifications to information regarding the boot process originating from the boot block or replacement of the ROM itself.